Ukrainian government resigns following elections

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukrainian government resigns following elections, 3 December 2012, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/50c2099328.html [accessed 2 August 2015]

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December 03, 2012

It was unclear whether President Viktor Yanukovych (right) planned to reappoint Mykola Azarov, who won a parliamentary seat in the October elections. (file photo)

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his government following the country's recent parliamentary elections.

A decree published on the presidential website on December 3 said Yanukovych asked the outgoing cabinet to stay on in an interim capacity.

A number of government ministers, including Azarov, were elected to parliament in the October 28 elections and had thus been expected to resign from their cabinet posts.

Yanukovych now can reappoint Azarov and individual ministers if he chooses.

Commentators say if he decides to discard Azarov, he might choose to replace him with his close personal ally, Serhiy Arbuzov.

Based on reporting by Reuters, UNIAN, Interfax, and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service